This invention relates to a martial arts practice target which provides for protection to the hand, forearm and body of the user by absorbing energy from a blow or thrust occasioned by a practitioner training to engage in various sports such as karate or other related martial arts sports.
Protective devices used in the practice of martial arts sports have been previously known and used. Such devices have been designed to be worn or mounted on the hand and generally include a portion which is designed to absorb a blow or thrust occasioned by a martial arts practitioner. Some of such known prior devices are those which appear in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,896,497 [Rhee], 4,478,408 [Bruckner] and 4,991,231 [Swift]. The Rhee patent describes an energy absorbing protective device which is substantially cylindrical in shape into which an instructor's hand may be inserted to grip and hold the protective device during training and contests of various martial arts. The device described in the Rhee patent is constructed of two (2) circular pads arranged next to one another with a space between for the insertion of the user's hand. Each of the pads contain resilient foam as the energy absorbing medium and are covered by a pliable coating, all for absorbing the energy from a thrust or blow. The device is specifically designed for use as a target in martial arts training exercises, but does not describe or disclose a target image or a limited target space toward which the thrust or blow is to be directed during training or in contests.
The Bruckner patent describes a mitt-shaped substantially as a parallelpipehead which has a central recess extending longitudinally along the greater dimension of the mitt for receiving the hand and a part of the forearm of a user. Within the recess of the mitt or pad, at approximately one-third (1/3+L ) from one end thereof, a cross piece is positioned for providing an internal grip so that the user is able to grasp the pad tightly so as not to have the pad knocked away when absorbing a blow or thrust in a practice session. Although the Bruckner protective device provides resilient foam material for absorbing the energy from the thrust or blow in a martial arts training or contest session, there are no target images or restricted target space incorporated as part of the device.
The Swift patent describes a target pad in the shape of a human head into which the hand and wrist of a user may be inserted with the shape of the pad defining a curvilinear target image. While this target pad is also made of resilient material and describes an opening to receive the hand for holding the pad, it also does not exhibit a target image or a limited target space for directing thrusts or blows during a training or contest session. There have been other exercising or practice-aid devices used in martial arts training which do exhibit or display a target. One such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,415 [Reitano] which describes an add-on component to an exercising apparatus as a solid rubber square karate kick target attached by straps positioned between an overhead bar and a retaining ring attached to the floor. The kick pad displays a target image for a practitioner to direct thrusts or blows toward the pad and is vertically adjustable in height. However, this practice aid does not limit or restrict the contact point of the thrust or blow to a target space as is considered necessary to properly perfect the appropriate techniques for mastering certain levels of the martial arts, or in successfully acquiring the skills necessary to prevail in a contest for other related sports.
Therefore, several deficiencies for prior practice aids have been noted in that a limited or restricted target space, for movable cushion protective target devices, has not been incorporated into any of the known practice devices. Further, the combined assistance of a displayed target coupled with a restricted or limited striking space to receive the thrust or blow is not believed to be exhibited in the several earlier devices discussed above. This omission is deemed to be a significant deficiency in that it is believed to be extremely important to the progress of learning any martial art for the practitioner to experience the eye and extremity coordination by immediate feedback from any misplaced thrust or blow. The prior devices do not provide any such feedback as is contemplated by the present invention. In particular, when a practitioner moves to strike a thrust or blow and merely strikes a smooth, resilient surface of the protective pad, that practitioner does not know whether he or she has struck at the optimal location or exhibited the proper technique or form. If the striking space were restricted or limited in size, and the striking space displayed a unique target image, the practitioner would be greatly assisted in immediately receiving physical feedback from a misplaced strike or blow performed incorrectly or not falling within the restricted or limited space for the target area.
Thus, the present invention is directed to providing the combination of a resilient pad used as a practice striking target which is capable of protecting the hand, forearm or body of the instructor and providing the learner or practitioner with a limited or restricted striking space with a visual target display, where such target space falls within a raised peripheral wall of the target space so that a misplaced blow is immediately felt and observed by the learner or practitioner, as well as the instructor. Such a device clearly reinforces, by feel, as well as by sight, where the blow actually was received versus where the blow was intended to be directed.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a protective martial arts practice target pad capable of absorbing the energy from a thrust or blow in order to protect the user or instructor from such blows.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such protective target device with a limited or restricted target space with a peripheral wall adjacent and/or surrounding a target image displayed for the learner or practitioner within the target space in order to provide immediate feedback through the contact of the extremities of the learner or practitioner with the protective target device to know exactly where the directed blow made contact with the device.
Further objects of the present invention will become evident hereinafter.